NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hardened her stand against the Congress as she accused the grand old party of teaming up with the CPM to strengthen the BJP in the state. Mamata also ruled out leaving any seat for the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections signaling the end of alliance in West Bengal.
“The Congress does not have even one MLA in the state assembly. We had given a proposal to the Congress party of two seats in Malda, but, they didn’t agree on that. Now, they won’t get even a single seat in the state,” said Mamata Banerjee.
The Trinamool Congress chief blamed the CPM for spoiling her “good relationship” with the Congress over the years. “CPM is the number one broker of BJP, I have suffered a lot of beatings from CPM and I will never forgive that. I had good contacts with Congress. Because of CPM, my relationship with the Congress party got spoiled,” Mamata said.
“I will never forgive the CPM. I will also not forgive those who support the CPM … because by doing so they actually support the BJP. I have seen that in the last panchayat elections,” she said.
Announcing her decision to contest in Malda, which is considered Congress stronghold, Mamata said she has “no objection” if anyone from the family of former Congress stalwart from Malda, the late Gani Khan Chowdhury, contests the election.
“But the TMC will also contest. They (Congress) will fight along with the CPI(M), to strengthen the BJP… only the TMC is capable of politically fighting the BJP in the state,” she said.
While Mamata is on the offensive, the Congress claims it is still attempting a truce even as it says that seat-sharing talks are on hold. “INDIA bloc seat sharing in West Bengal is on hold. TMC and Congress are considering the proposals. TMC is still a part of INDIA bloc,” the party’s sources said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also sought to play down any rift between the two parties.
“Till now things have not been finalised on our end. In an alliance, all members should speak in one voice. One-sided decisions cannot be taken. There are three parties in the INDIA alliance. If all these three want to fight separately, they should officially announce this. Till now we are considering that the INDIA alliance will fight together in West Bengal as well” Jairam Ramesh said.
“The Congress does not have even one MLA in the state assembly. We had given a proposal to the Congress party of two seats in Malda, but, they didn’t agree on that. Now, they won’t get even a single seat in the state,” said Mamata Banerjee.
The Trinamool Congress chief blamed the CPM for spoiling her “good relationship” with the Congress over the years. “CPM is the number one broker of BJP, I have suffered a lot of beatings from CPM and I will never forgive that. I had good contacts with Congress. Because of CPM, my relationship with the Congress party got spoiled,” Mamata said.
“I will never forgive the CPM. I will also not forgive those who support the CPM … because by doing so they actually support the BJP. I have seen that in the last panchayat elections,” she said.
Announcing her decision to contest in Malda, which is considered Congress stronghold, Mamata said she has “no objection” if anyone from the family of former Congress stalwart from Malda, the late Gani Khan Chowdhury, contests the election.
“But the TMC will also contest. They (Congress) will fight along with the CPI(M), to strengthen the BJP… only the TMC is capable of politically fighting the BJP in the state,” she said.
While Mamata is on the offensive, the Congress claims it is still attempting a truce even as it says that seat-sharing talks are on hold. “INDIA bloc seat sharing in West Bengal is on hold. TMC and Congress are considering the proposals. TMC is still a part of INDIA bloc,” the party’s sources said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also sought to play down any rift between the two parties.
“Till now things have not been finalised on our end. In an alliance, all members should speak in one voice. One-sided decisions cannot be taken. There are three parties in the INDIA alliance. If all these three want to fight separately, they should officially announce this. Till now we are considering that the INDIA alliance will fight together in West Bengal as well” Jairam Ramesh said.
